The good oil on Werriwa

Page Tools

Labor sent the towering form of Peter Garrett to wrap up its
campaign for Mark Latham's former seat of Werriwa yesterday, on the
eve of a byelection that will be the first test of Kim Beazley's
leadership.

The poll in the south-western Sydney electorate is also seen as
a test of public reaction to the interest rates rise and the
Coalition's increased troop commitment in Iraq.

Supporting ALP candidate Chris Hayes, Mr Garrett said voters had
the chance to do two things: "To elect a good bloke as a fair
dinkum local representative, and to provide a score card on the
track record of the Howard Government since it has come back into
its next term."

Mr Hayes, an industrial relations consultant and former union
official, is one of 16 candidates for the seat.

There is no official Coalition representative, but conservative
independent candidate James Young is a member of the Liberal
Party's Sylvania Waters branch and a former adviser to Liberal MP
Jackie Kelly.

The byelection was triggered by Mr Latham's resignation from
politics after falling seriously ill with pancreatitis.

Mr Latham held the seat with a two-party preferred vote of 59
per cent.